


Falconry

by ericsonclan



Series: Fantasy Hijinks AU [11]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dating, F/F, F/M, Half-orc, Harpies, Interspecies Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26130307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan
Summary: The band of adventurers enjoy a peaceful moment at camp when a shocking piece of news comes to light that make other members question whether they should go forward with their own feelings in their hearts.
Relationships: Aasim/Ruby (Walking Dead: Done Running), Clementine/Louis (Walking Dead: Done Running), Marlon/Sophie (Walking Dead: Done Running), Prisha/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Series: Fantasy Hijinks AU [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1797862
Kudos: 2





	Falconry

**Author's Note:**

> (by Laura)

“Hey, Sophie!” Marlon called as he tossed one of the cooked fish up into the air. “Catch!”

Sophie let out an excited squeal and leapt into the air, catching the fish in her mouth. She landed gracefully upon his shoulder, claws resting on the leather armor there. She lifted her hands to cup the fish, munching on it happily and gently nuzzling her head against Marlon’s.

Aasim cleared his throat roughly. “I’m sure you don’t mean anything by it, Marlon, but isn’t it a bit demeaning to have Sophie play fetch like that? It’s almost as though you’re treating her like your pet,”

“What are you talking about?” Marlon asked, clearly confused. “Rosie’s my pet. Sophie’s my girlfriend,”

The whole group paused what they were doing at those words.

“You’re dating?!” Minnie gaped in shock.

“Congratulations!” Louis declared, throwing a handful of leaves into the air in celebration.

“Well, golly, this must be a new development,” Ruby noted, throwing another log onto the fire. “I mean, I knew y’all were close, but the dating must’ve just started,”

“Nah,” Marlon shook his head. “We’ve been together about… is it 3 months, babe?”

Sophie pulled the fish skeleton from her mouth in one graceful swoop. “Four,”

“Four months?!” Aasim was flabbergasted. “And none of us knew? What do you guys even do that’s considered dating?”

“Go fishing together, guard each other’s backs on adventures, hold hands…” Marlon listed out the activities on one hand, giving Sophie another roast fish with the other. “Oh, sometimes Sophie looks through my hair to see if there are any bugs in it. It feels nice,”

“The bugs are tasty too,” Sophie commented, gently ruffling Marlon’s hair.

“Fascinating,” Prisha had her notebook out and was scribbling down some notes. “Tell me, is this a first experience for both of you, being in an interspecies relationship? Do you find yourself subject to stigma or judgement due to the differences in your physiology?”

“I mean…” Sophie cocked her head to one side. “We haven’t really told anybody till just now. So no, there hasn’t been any judgement. No problems either really,”

“Ooh, ooh! We did learn a trick we could show you!” Marlon’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Soph, are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be!” Sophie quipped, licking her fingers clean.

With that, Marlon dramatically stretched out his arm. Sophie curled her hands in front of her chest, then fell backwards, swinging back and forth underneath her boyfriend’s arm before settling in place. She smiled, doing little jazz hands.

“Tada!! Get it? I’m a bat!”

“Just like Garbage!” Willy gasped in wonder. He excitedly thrust out his arm. “Sophie, land here next! Land on Willy!”

“Umm, sorry bud. It only really works on Marlon’s arm ‘cause he has the leather armor,”

Willy’s face dropped in disappointment. “Oh. I see,”

“Aw, don’t worry, Willy,” Ruby placed a hand consolingly on his back. “How ‘bout tomorrow I get started on some leather armor just for you?”

“Really?” Willy’s face lit up in joy. He threw himself into Ruby’s arms. “Ruby is truly the best friend!”

Ruby chuckled. “It ain’t nothing, really,”

Later that night the group had settled around the fireplace for bedtime. Most of the group members were already asleep. Marlon lay curled up against Rosie, snoring peacefully. Willy had found a tree branch on which to nap beside Garbage. Sophie, Minnie and Tenn were curled up together in a little family nest. Prisha and Aasim still sat by the fire, keeping first watch together.

“Don’t you think it’s odd, Marlon and Sophie?” Aasim asked, poking the fire. “For two species that are so different to cohabitate together… it just doesn’t make sense,”

“I don’t know,” Prisha shrugged. “Throughout the ages, love has proven itself to be something that holds little regard for custom or tradition. I’m sure such a match provides its own challenges at times, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong,”

“I didn’t say wrong,” Aasim corrected, backtracking quickly. “Just surprising really. It’s honestly rather brave of them to love so freely. It’s like they have no concern for what others might think,”

“I think they’re cute!” Louis declared loudly, sitting up from his place at the end of the line of halflings plus A.J.

“You’re dating a fellow halfling! You don’t get a say in this!” Aasim snapped.

Louis lay back down with a huff, snuggling up against Clementine as she absentmindedly reached out to pull him closer.

The elves returned to their conversation with wry smiles.

“You know..” Prisha said, tapping a finger on her chin, “Ruby is quite the fetching dwarf. I’m surprised a dwarf man hasn’t snatched her up already,”

Aasim snorted disapprovingly. “It’s likely because no dwarf has come along yet who’s worthy of her attention,”

“No dwarf, but perhaps… an elf?”

Aasim’s eyes shot up.

Prisha had the smuggest grin on her face. “So I’m not wrong,”

“Don’t tell a soul,”

“Oh, I won’t. It’s not my place to; it’s yours. You should go for it before she walks right out of your life without an inkling of the way you feel,”

“It’s not that easy,” Aasim looked away, but quickly glanced back at Prisha. “What’s your concern in this matter anyway? Have you dated another species before? You seem like the type,”

Prisha scoffed. “Why? Because I’m a wood elf?”

“Because you’re open-minded and insightful. You seek to understand other cultures and races rather than forcing your own ways upon them,”

“Oh,” Prisha looked surprised at his warm candor. “Thank you. And no, I haven’t experienced an interspecies romance, though I’m not opposed to the idea,”

Now it was Aasim’s turn to grin. “Have someone in mind?”

Prisha looked down at the fire, glancing over to where Violet lay. Her cheeks were rosy from the warmth of the fire and a small, serene smile was on her face. “Nothing yet. Maybe someday,”

“I salute your endeavors,” Aasim raised his waterskin above his head before taking a long drink.

“I return your salutations,” Prisha quipped, lifting her own waterskin in a mock toast.

The two elves sat in silence together, both lost within their thoughts of the objects of their affections. Perhaps they would find themselves as happy as Sophie and Marlon were if they could get together the courage to confess their feelings. What the future truly depended on wasn’t race or class or anything like that. What mattered was whether their feelings were returned in kind, and they could only learn the truth of that if they were brave enough to ask. For now, they remained within the tense limbo of the unknown.


End file.
